Custodians play a crucial role in maintaining a clean and functional school environment, yet their contributions often go unnoticed. They do an excellent job of ensuring everything is neat and organized for the students and staff. Fauquier High School (FHS) has an amazing team of custodians who love to come to work every day to talk and help the students.

Drew Shirkey is one of the janitors at FHS. He always helps and chats with the students.
Beyond his regular duties, Shirkey is known for his friendly attitude and his constant student engagement, always ready to lend a helping hand. “I’ve worked here for 3 and a half years,” He explained, expressing his desire to continue working here, as he truly enjoys the atmosphere and the people around him. “There are a couple of bad kids, but most of them are good and I have fun working with [my colleagues].” His positive attitude and commitment to the school help create a supportive and friendly place for everyone.

Although Shirkey has worked here for a shorter amount of time, he’s experienced a significant change in school. “I’ve been through three different principals, and when I first got here, it was right after COVID, so we had to wear masks.” COVID-19 hit the school staff hard, as they had to manage large crowds of students and look after their well-being. Fortunately, everything is back to normal now. Shirkey also mentioned an important aspect of being a janitor. “You have to juggle multiple things at once; it’s a bigger campus, and it seems that I’m expected to be everywhere at the same time.” Luckily, Shirkey is a fantastic janitor and can adjust and help everyone who needs it.

Shirkey is more than just a janitor at FHS, he’s a friendly face, a hard worker and a positive presence in the school. His hard dedication to making FHS a better and cleaner place is extremely impactful. As the school continues to grow and change, staff members like him are important to have and acknowledge.